When a person has been emotionally hurt by another individual, it can definitely be a challenging thing to deal with, however it can be overcome. “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” – Psalm 34:18. Today’s blog entry deals with overcoming hurt.
When a person is hurt/mistreated by someone else, there are a number of different thoughts and emotions that can come to mind. If you are a person that has been hurt by another individual (or knows someone that has been hurt by another individual), here are some recommendations:
*Don’t try to retaliate:
Sometimes it can be human instinct to try to get back at someone who has said/done something wrong to you, but don’t allow yourself to do it. Remember to represent Christ the best you can in everything you do (including times such as these). As it says in Romans 12:19, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
*Forgive the person:
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” – Colossians 3:13
Forgiveness is crucial. Don’t allow yourself to be bitter towards the person. Let go of any resentment that you have toward them. Now I know some people may be thinking, “that’s a lot easier said than done. What do I do if I have thoughts about what they did to me, and it makes me mad?” My advice for a situation like this would be to shift your thinking when those types of thoughts come (There’s a difference between you having a negative thought coming across your mind, and you constantly dwelling on a negative thought). By this I mean to focus your thoughts on positive things (see Philippians 4:8). As born again Christians, we can also remind ourselves of the fact that Jesus has forgiven us for all of our sins, and how thankful we are for what He has done. We’ve made mistakes, and we should be willing to forgive others who have made mistakes. If we ever have trouble letting go of resentment, we should pray and ask God to help us let go of the anger that we have. I also want to point out that forgiving a person doesn’t mean that you put yourself in a position to be hurt by that person again. For instance, if Person B always yells insulting things to Person A each time Person A calls them on the phone (and then apologizes after the fact). It’s probably a good idea for Person A to stop calling Person B, even though Person A has forgiven Person B.
*Continue to focus on God:
When we keep our focus on God, it helps us keep things in their proper perspective. We will never face a problem that is bigger than God. “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” – Psalm 34:3. Think about God, and how great He is. Continue to remind yourself of how much He loves you. Take comfort in the fact that He “will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (see Hebrews 13:5). Be thankful for all of the things He has done for you. Consistently spend time reading His Word, and apply what His Word says to your life. Don’t let another person take away your Joy.
So as we continue to grow in our walk with Christ, let us remember to cast our cares upon Him. Don’t carry around hurt from past relationships. Move forward. Rely upon Jesus Christ.
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
When a person is hurt/mistreated by someone else, there are a number of different thoughts and emotions that can come to mind. If you are a person that has been hurt by another individual (or knows someone that has been hurt by another individual), here are some recommendations:
*Don’t try to retaliate:
Sometimes it can be human instinct to try to get back at someone who has said/done something wrong to you, but don’t allow yourself to do it. Remember to represent Christ the best you can in everything you do (including times such as these). As it says in Romans 12:19, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
*Forgive the person:
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.” – Colossians 3:13
Forgiveness is crucial. Don’t allow yourself to be bitter towards the person. Let go of any resentment that you have toward them. Now I know some people may be thinking, “that’s a lot easier said than done. What do I do if I have thoughts about what they did to me, and it makes me mad?” My advice for a situation like this would be to shift your thinking when those types of thoughts come (There’s a difference between you having a negative thought coming across your mind, and you constantly dwelling on a negative thought). By this I mean to focus your thoughts on positive things (see Philippians 4:8). As born again Christians, we can also remind ourselves of the fact that Jesus has forgiven us for all of our sins, and how thankful we are for what He has done. We’ve made mistakes, and we should be willing to forgive others who have made mistakes. If we ever have trouble letting go of resentment, we should pray and ask God to help us let go of the anger that we have. I also want to point out that forgiving a person doesn’t mean that you put yourself in a position to be hurt by that person again. For instance, if Person B always yells insulting things to Person A each time Person A calls them on the phone (and then apologizes after the fact). It’s probably a good idea for Person A to stop calling Person B, even though Person A has forgiven Person B.
*Continue to focus on God:
When we keep our focus on God, it helps us keep things in their proper perspective. We will never face a problem that is bigger than God. “O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.” – Psalm 34:3. Think about God, and how great He is. Continue to remind yourself of how much He loves you. Take comfort in the fact that He “will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (see Hebrews 13:5). Be thankful for all of the things He has done for you. Consistently spend time reading His Word, and apply what His Word says to your life. Don’t let another person take away your Joy.
So as we continue to grow in our walk with Christ, let us remember to cast our cares upon Him. Don’t carry around hurt from past relationships. Move forward. Rely upon Jesus Christ.
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7